WASHINGTON: India has voiced understanding for the giant US aid plan for its historic rival Pakistan despite earlier security fears, a senior US official said Tuesday.
“They believe we have a shared interest in helping to stabilize Pakistan,” said Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for South Asia.
“They're certainly well aware that a spiral-down would not be in India's interests,” he told a State Department blog forum.
The United States last week held a “strategic dialogue” with India aimed at deepening the ties between the world's two largest democracies which have been warming for the past decade.
But the task was delicate as President Barack Obama has also put a focus on Pakistan, which has fought three full-fledged wars with India since their separation at birth in 1947.
The United States last year approved a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar plan to build the economy and democratic institutions in Pakistan, hoping to dent the appeal of extremists.
Blake acknowledged that India had been less enthusiastic over US military support to Pakistan than the economic aid, but said: “I think they understand that we are trying to build up Pakistan's counter-insurgency capabilities.”
The United States has sought Pakistan's “assurances that the weapons that are provided will not be used against India,” Blake said.
The United States has welcomed what it sees as a deepening commitment by Pakistan to fight homegrown Taliban militants.
But US officials have pressed Pakistan also to act against Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is blamed in the bloody 2008 siege of Mumbai.
“The United States consistently emphasizes... that it is very important in particular for Pakistan to take action against these groups that are targeting not only India but increasingly the United States,” Blake said.
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said last week that he received assurances in the strategic dialogue that the United States was “not going to do anything which would adversely affect India's interests.”
“They believe we have a shared interest in helping to stabilize Pakistan,” said Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for South Asia.
“They're certainly well aware that a spiral-down would not be in India's interests,” he told a State Department blog forum.
The United States last week held a “strategic dialogue” with India aimed at deepening the ties between the world's two largest democracies which have been warming for the past decade.
But the task was delicate as President Barack Obama has also put a focus on Pakistan, which has fought three full-fledged wars with India since their separation at birth in 1947.
The United States last year approved a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar plan to build the economy and democratic institutions in Pakistan, hoping to dent the appeal of extremists.
Blake acknowledged that India had been less enthusiastic over US military support to Pakistan than the economic aid, but said: “I think they understand that we are trying to build up Pakistan's counter-insurgency capabilities.”
The United States has sought Pakistan's “assurances that the weapons that are provided will not be used against India,” Blake said.
The United States has welcomed what it sees as a deepening commitment by Pakistan to fight homegrown Taliban militants.
But US officials have pressed Pakistan also to act against Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is blamed in the bloody 2008 siege of Mumbai.
“The United States consistently emphasizes... that it is very important in particular for Pakistan to take action against these groups that are targeting not only India but increasingly the United States,” Blake said.
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said last week that he received assurances in the strategic dialogue that the United States was “not going to do anything which would adversely affect India's interests.”
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